Artist Bio
Jessica Lee is a student at the University of California - Irvine. To Jessica, lighting and presence is what makes a photo. She hopes her photos feel like watching the dust particles filter through a theatre spotlight. In this moment, Jessica exists as a student rehabbing lasting physical damage from her decade of being a competitive Irish dancer - which was well worth it.
Artist Statement
Care and Repair for those with invisible illnesses and disabilities is synonymous. A constant process of proactive and reactive changes in our daily routine to accommodate illnesses which may never go away. In this project, I asked my subjects to “paint the pain”; to place paint where they felt or had commonly felt pain. It is an attempt to create a physical manifestation of the issues those with invisible illnesses go through yet others don’t see.
POTS, overuse injuries, EDS, Endometriosis, IBS: These photos focus more on the physical than the mental, but I hope they show how hard it is to bring to light those issues which can’t be seen like a broken arm can. Due to general unawareness and medical gaslighting, many people don’t know that they have a specific illness or disability as it is seen as just “common pain” or a “slight peculiarity”.
A piece of advice from those who have been through it all: Simply care. The repair will follow when people make continuous efforts to show up. You don’t need to wear the shoes to understand how they are too big for the person next to you.
This showcase highlights the struggles between the invisible illnesses we are constantly fighting, and the attempt to live a bright and fulfilling life. For some, that is getting to do the sports and activities they love, for others it is getting to spend time with the ones they love. So view these photos with an open mind and curiosity for something that is hidden under the surface for so many people